Synthesis of Afghan and International Civil Society Papers for. The London Conference on Afghanistan. December 2014

Transcription

1 Synthesis of Afghan and International Civil Society Papers for The London Conference on Afghanistan December 2014 SUMMARY Afghan and international civil society recommend: - long-term international support to Afghanistan, honouring commitments under TMAF and with funding conditional on reform - the promotion of democracy, good governance, justice, human rights and an end to corruption and a culture of impunity - measures to be agreed, implemented and enforced to combat discrimination of all kinds particularly that against women. - the acknowledgement of the importance of the role of civil society, national and international and their inclusion in decision making processes Purpose This paper summarises the key views and recommendations made by Afghan and international civil society organizations in papers prepared for the London Conference on Afghanistan, (LCA) December The purpose is to inform discussions before, during and after the conference. Context The LCA is taking place at a significant time, the start of the Transformation Decade 2014 to 2024, as the international combat troops leave and a Government of National Unity has been formed. Afghan civil society has been afforded a significant role in the LCA with a series of events culminating in a civil society conference, and an invitation for two representatives from Afghan civil society to speak in the main conference. There will also be opportunities for civil society actors to meet key international decision makers including the

2 Chief Executive Officer for the Afghan Government and the UK Secretary of State for International Development. The Papers This summary draws on three key papers produced by Afghan civil society: The Afghan Civil Society Position Paper produced by the Civil Society Joint Working Group 1, Support to Afghan Civil Society in the Decade of Transformation endorsed by 22 Afghan civil society organizations 2, including AWN, hereafter called the 22 Paper, and the Position Paper on the occasion of London Conference on Afghanistan prepared by the Afghan Women s Network 3, (AWN) after consultation with over 100 women from Kabul and the surrounding provinces. The summary of international civil society views draws on 12 papers produced by international non-governmental organizations, (see appendix for the full list). Afghan civil society views and recommendations All three papers contain requests for the continuation of international support to Afghanistan to safeguard achievements to date, and ask that existing commitments made by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community be re-confirmed at the LCA. In addition the CS-JWG asks that the International Community support Afghanistan in limiting any interference from countries that threaten peace and stability. For its part the civil society undertakes to work with the Afghan Government and the international Community to develop a fair and sustainable society. The CS-JWG paper stresses the importance of democratic values, practices, institutions and state-building, freedom of speech and media, and a of a peace process that does not compromise democratic achievements. The 22 paper outlines the opportunity for civil society to engage effectively with the new government on its ambitious reform agenda to advance national development and strengthen democracy. The CS-JWG foresees the empowerment of a new generation, through a further decade of democracy, which can make a greater contribution to stability and self-reliance through tackling poverty, the drivers of violence and inequality. AWN asks for renewed commitment to support the empowerment of women. Equality for men and women, the rights of women and the wish to combat discrimination of all kinds features strongly in the papers. The re- 1 The CS-JWG is composed of 30 co-ordinating bodies representing 1,400 organizations of varying size 2 Operational and advocacy based CSOs of longstanding with experience of international funding and of interaction with the Afghan government 3 The Afghan Women s Network is an advocacy platform with 121 women led member organizations functioning for women s empowerment since

3 opening of the Kabul Bank case and the expressed intention to tackle corruption, in the justice system and elsewhere, are welcomed. Specific requests are made to the new government; to conduct a census of the population and reform and modernize the electoral system, to endorse and implement the Access to Information Law, the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law and Comprehensive Child Rights Act and protect the rights of all citizens, review the financial policies of the country and invest, including in the extractive industries, in pro poor social and economic development which reduces dependency on donors and international organizations. All three papers express the view that the role of Afghan civil society is an important one which should be recognised, respected and supported, both by the Afghan Government and by the international community; Civil society is neither a competitor nor an adversary to government but a vital and complementary component through which the views and needs of its citizens are understood, expressed and met (CS-JWG op cit). It is argued that civil society should be given the official oversight and evaluation role in programme implementation and included in all decision making bodies and missions including the peace process. The 22 paper explores the difficulties which have been experience by civil society actors in their role; having been ignored, or challenged, and having had their legitimacy undermined the Tokyo Mutual Accountability framework does not even recognise the role of civil society. It is acknowledged that these difficulties are sometimes exacerbated by differences of opinion within civil society but that on major issues there is unity and plurality. It stresses that while civil society groups need to consolidate their presence and capacity the international donor community needs to re-evaluate engagement strategies, support and funding mechanisms. Donors should address issues that have arisen from short-term support, and the use of management contractors which undermines the very agency of civil society that donors aim to build. They should instead ensure that Afghan civil society organizations are able to influence and control the design and priorities of programmes which are intended to strengthen them. The AWN paper makes recommendations that are specific to the needs and rights of Afghan women, welcoming the signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement, the Status of Forces Agreement and the transition from international security forces to Afghan National security Forces but noting the impact on women of insecurity, and attacks which have made Afghanistan one of the most dangerous countries for women. AWN makes detailed recommendations which would safeguard and enhance the lives of women; their meaningful consultation and involvement in all decision making in development, governance, and peace talks, the provision of education and health services, and employment. They also recommend that funding for the Afghan government from 3

4 international donors should be conditional on attention to gender and inclusion of women, with a particular focus on women and the justice sector. 4

5 The views and recommendations of International NGOs Commitments made under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, (TMAF), should be honoured. TMAF goals : - Improve democratic institutions credible elections - Improve access to justice for all, in particular for women respect for rule of law and protection of human rights - Improve good governance and integrity of public financial management - Improve an inclusive and sustained growth and development - Improve aid effectiveness Donors should commit to remaining engaged in the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States process in Afghanistan, which has peacebuilding and state-building goals as its foundation. It is an urgent request of all INGO s to make funding for the Afghan government conditional. Mutually agreed benchmarks and incentives should link international support to strong achievements of the Afghan Government. Aid effectiveness The current situation in Afghanistan shows that the quality and coherence of the services delivered to the Afghan population are being sacrificed too often for a hasty implementation of too many projects. The Afghan Government is ill prepared to manage effectively the funds received and so many projects simultaneously. Absorption and execution capacities of the government departments should not be exceeded. A consolidation phase must be prioritized based on capacity-building of the local actors rather than a new acceleration of the process that would undermine sustainability and quality. Recommendations to Afghan Government and International Donors: - To improve the aid-effectiveness, we must return to a more coherent approach. Align humanitarian and development assistance. - Development aid must be used to answer the expressed needs of the population. - Ensure that objectives in terms of technical, organizational, and financial capacity building of local actors are included in the implementation of national policies and programs. This should allow aid to reach vulnerable people in even the most remote areas - Pluralism in funding mechanisms must be maintained in order to guarantee greater flexibility and better adaptation to chronic crisis and the complex and constraining environment. - Implementation of independent monitoring systems is necessary, focusing as much on project quality, coverage and impact as on good management and accountability. 5

6 Service delivery Poverty can be tackled by investing in community based programmes that improve basic services, in particular healthcare, education and rural development. Basic services delivered should focus on the overall quality and reach the most vulnerable people, who are living in remote and conflict-affected areas of the country. An inclusive approach should also address the needs of victims of mines and explosive remnants of war, and other people with disabilities. Recommendations: - Ensure the overall quality of services by improving service delivery systems and policy implementation in the field - Ensure that services are available to people living in remote and conflict-affected areas - Ensure that health and education facilities and staff are respected - Find durable solutions for refugees; internally displace peoples (IDPs) and refugee returnees. Develop a National Priority Program to realise a policy for them. Seek support in the region and of the UN. - Prioritize community-based investments and quick impact projects with high visibility benefiting both returnees and local communities Governance Better governance is essential for progress and improved livelihoods of the Afghan people. The absence of it puts hopes at risk for a sustainable development and much-needed growth of employment. Corruption undermines good governance and is likely to stir further conflict rather than economic growth. To ensure Afghanistan s natural resources actually produce any benefit for the country and create the lasting stability needed to achieve other development, transparency, oversight, and effective regulation is important. Recommendations: - Create and support a truly independent anti-corruption agency within Afghanistan. - Publish annual declarations of senior public officials and vetting them - Promote a more decentralized fiscal policy - Activate all courts and staff them with professionals even in remote areas - Civil society organisations are able to perform a crucial watchdog role, in providing oversights and improving transparency and accountability of government and aid spending - Consolidate a road-map of measures to support transparency and accountability, with open and fair bidding and publication of contracts 6

7 - Establish strong resource governance with responsible risk assessments and commitment to respect the rights and interests of local communities and safeguards against the environmental and social impacts of mining Justice Rule of law Afghanistan and its international partners should attach much more priority to strengthening the Rule of Law, both with specific measures against abuse and impunity, and by investing more political will in enforcement. Recommendations: - Establish a truly independent Human Rights Commission with an adequate budget - The individual rights of all Afghan people must be protected, in particular those of the most vulnerable, including people in conflict-affected or remote areas, women and girls. - Women s rights Women must be treated as equal stakeholders in all areas of Afghanistan s development and security, and their voices must be heard across the full range of decisions that affect their social, economic, civil and political rights. Participating meaningfully in decision making processes starts with a greater representation of women, who have the authority to act. This is only possible if they are protected effectively from abuse. Recommendations: - End all forms of structural and social discrimination against women - Ensure women s right to participate in development, governance and conflict resolution decision making: appoint women to decision making roles within ministries and independent institutions, involve women at all levels of decision making in the formal and informal peace talks, give women authority and responsibility. - Enforce and implement the Afghanistan National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security - Recruit, retain and strategically integrate women in the Afghan National Security Forces, including at the decision-making and leadership level - Properly implement the Elimination of Violence Against Women Law for the eradication of violence against women and establish effective mechanisms to monitor - Develop and increase women s entrepreneurship by providing training opportunities and access to loans and support initiatives that provide easier access for women into the labour market - Support women s organisations to promote women s rights 7

8 ANNEX Working documents & Position papers: -ACBAR position paper on Aid Effectiveness - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA, Tawanmandi -ACBAR position paper on Service Delivery - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA, Tawanmandi -ACBAR position paper on Governance - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA, Tawanmandi -ACBAR position paper on Women s rights - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA, Tawanmandi -ACBAR consolidated position paper - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA, Tawanmandi -ACF report on Aid effectiveness -Cordaid report on Gender into the New Deal: case study Afghanistan -GAPS position paper on Women s political participation - endorsed by BAAG -Global Witness position paper on Governance & natural resources -Handicap International position paper on Service delivery -InterAction position paper on Human security -IRC/CARE/NRC/Afghanaid position paper on Humanitarian needs - endorsed by BAAG, ENNA -Japanese CSOs Do not forget Afghanistan coalition position paper London Conference on Afghanistan - endorsed by AAR, ADRA, CARE, CWS, JEN, JOICFP, World Vision, JVC, NICCO, Peace Winds, Save the Children, Human Rights Now, JOICFP, UNESCO -OXFAM report on Women s participation in Afghanistan s future -UNHCR position paper on Solutions for Afghan refugees 8